The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-01-19
A STRANGE SEPARATION
How John-v. Ayers Wife Was 1nduc
ed to Leave Him,
AND HOW THEY MET AFTER EACH BELIEy-
ED THAT THE OTHER. WAS
DEAD

! A special to the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette, from Washington City, says: Re
Gently most of the newspapers of tn
country printed the following dispatch :
"CHlcAGo, Dec. 18.-Mrs. Harriet Hub
bard Aver, formerly of Chicago, but nov
residing in New York, instituted sui
for divorce to-day against Herbert Aver
on the ground of infidelity and descrtion
Mr. Aver was formerly a wealthy mer
chant OF Chicago-failed some years ago.
There is curious history connected
with this case. lii 1910 or 1871 Mr.. join
V. Aver, young New England man, Went
to New Orleans to make his fortuue anl
settle there He was enterprising and en-
ergetic and went forward rapidly. He
joined in Southern sentiment and ideas tc
some extent and became very popular
He met young lady In society and they
fell in love with each other. The young
lady's people objected to the match be.
cause of Ayers Northern birth, but the
two We're quietly married. Within a
year such pressure was brought upon
the young wife by her people that she was
induced to leave her husband and 20
back to the home of her parents. Aver
was nearly heartbroken over her deser-
ton and decided to leave the South and
go back to the North. He closed out his
business and departed, after appointing a
lawyer to look after his affairs, as he knew
that his wife expected soon to be con-
lined. He settled in Washington and
went into the lumber business, and began
to prosper at once, as he was very keen
and shrewd business man. Such man is
bound to succeed in any department of
effort. In a short time he received from
his lawyer letter notifying him of lis
Wife's death in childbirth. The letter
gave him all particulars, with desarlp-
ton Of his wife's grave and a copy of the
epitaphs on her tombstone. Soon after
he moved to Chicago and went into bust
ness there. He soon became very veal
thy man; indeed, was reckoned among
the most solid men Of the city financially.
He was the second partner in the notes
firm OF Hale, Aver IL Co., iron manufac-
turers, which mad mills in Chicago,
Youngstown, Ohio, and in Pennsylvania.
lie was married, and had several chill
dren. In 1864 he went to New Orleans,
accompanied by his Oldest child, John V.
Aver, Jr., young follow nearly 20 years
OF age and full of spirit and adventure
The father and son stopped at the St. |
Charles Hotel, and in Parlor C kept open
house all winter, making it merry for the
old friends of the father. One night, at |
dinner given at the City Hotel, whore Mr..
Aver was guest, lie recognized his first
wife in the person sitting near him. At
The same time she recognized him, though
neither spoke. The next day he traced
her out and sent her note, which was
answered. Twenty ors~more letters pass
I'd between the two before meeting was
brought about. These letters are still in
existence, and nothing in all truth or fic-
lion or romance could be more pathetic.
Finally they met and talked for honrs.
lie told her of the information sent hin,
If her death, Of his subsequent marriage,
md his life since then. From her he as
that she had been furnished
With like information about HIM; that
he had married a wealthy planter living
n Rapides Parish. Instead of dying in
childbirth, she had given birth to son
Who was then in the Confederate army.
md by her second husband she had two
daughters. Her husband had been i'm
'overished by the war and was dead. She
vas struggling to support herself and two
daughters. MI. Aver settled upon her
nd her daughters $4,000, and ostab-
lshed them comfortably in New Orleans
her old home. He then went to Wash
ngton and, using every influence, pro-
ured letters from Lincoln and Stanton.
nd went through the lines to Richmond. ,
lie got letters from jeff Davis and the
confederate Secretary of War and his
On's release from the army. With these
apers he went through the Confederate
hes at Bayou Sara and found his son.
lie took him out of the army, and after a
sunion in New Orleans between him, his
rst wife, her two daughters, his son by
is first wife and his son by his second
life, went on with the two boys to Chi
igo. Singularly enough, not one of the
llldren had ever heard a word of the
revious marriage, and the first son had
ever dreamed the truth of his parentage. !
or had the other children on either side
yer known of any previous marriage by !
leir parents. Mr. Aver took his young l
confederate son home with him and l
ade him partner in his business. He =
emed to worship the boy, and to almost
rget the children of his second marriage n
his affection for this child of his FIRST n
We, come back to him from the dead.
! short time he started him in the
snklhg business, and lavishcd upon him Q
1 the money he could spend. That was n
good deal, for the young man was o
vely one, and for several years he was a
aiding spirit of Chicago. He had the f.
est horses and carriages, he had a kennel
hunting hounds and full stable. and
icellent gun and rod outfit. His fathers
'use was fine mansion, and through a
e INDULGENCE of the narant ha annn;ea Ia